2026 APTA Alabama Annual Conference Virtual Course Bundle

This intermediate-level session is divided into two parts: Butt Science provides an evidence-based clinical update on gluteal function, including its role in hypertrophy, fatty infiltration, and the biomechanical links to LBP, PFP, and knee/ankle injuries. Hip Fitness for Racquet Athletes then applies this science to the unique demands of tennis and pickleball. Participants will learn how to identify, assess, and address the specific hip deficits (e.g., hip flexor length, rotation ROM) and movement demands (e.g., falls, lunging) of these athletes using reliable, no-equipment assessment and high-MVIC, bodyweight-only exercises, including load-management strategies for gluteal tendinopathy.

Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Review the evidence detailing gluteal muscle morphology, hypertrophy, and the biomechanical links between gluteal dysfunction and common lower-extremity pathologies (LBP, PFP, knee/ankle injuries).

2. Identify and discuss the evidence for no-equipment assessment strategies for gluteal strength/endurance (e.g., gluteal endurance measures, single-leg wall squat) and hip mobility (e.g., Modified Thomas Test).

3. Describe and justify the application of at least three evidence-based, high-activation, bodyweight-only gluteal exercises (e.g., gluteal squeeze, unilateral bridge) for strength and performance programming.

4. Analyze the specific biomechanical demands and common lower-extremity injury profiles (e.g., falls, strains, PFP) associated with competitive tennis and pickleball.

5. Outline clinical management plans, including load-modification and patient education, that address proximal hip function for both injury prevention and rehabilitation in racquet sport athletes (including gluteal tendinopathy).

Course Description
Physical therapy is rooted in specialized skills and expertise as movement specialists. We focus on maximizing patient function, addressing neuromusculoskeletal limitations, and applying advanced manual techniques. Today, the economic value of these skills is rapidly evolving.
Digitization, once limited to administrative tasks, now plays a central role in clinical rehabilitation. Digital processes are transforming how value is created, measured, and exchanged. This course examines how data, automation, and AI are reshaping clinical expertise and guiding physical therapy professionals through this evolution.

Using the Code, Care, and Commerce framework, we’ll discuss the future of clinical work, with the primary focus of identifying and framing the narrative around the “human in the middle” concept of digital integration. Attendees will see how digitization shapes career trajectories, business sustainability, and patient outcomes. Physical therapists can thrive in a world where expertise is not defined by what we do with our hands, but by how we connect data, technology, and human experience.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe how digitization is transforming the economic and professional value of physical therapy.
2. Explain the Code, Care, and Commerce framework and how it applies to technology adoption and workforce evolution.
3. Identify emerging technologies that are shifting the definition of clinical expertise and patient engagement.
4. Analyze the new economics of efficiency, scalability, and data-driven decision making in PT practice.
5. Discuss practical strategies for clinicians, educators, and leaders to adapt to a hybrid, tech-enabled model of care.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

UAB’s Lead Sports Medicine Physical Therapist Justin Kirk will discuss running related injuries and break down the running analysis process for the unique demands of runners, sprinters, and field/court sport athletes. Running is the universal skill that transcends multiple sports. Understanding the biomechanics, interventions, and processes behind repairing running related injuries is critical to boost outcomes.

Course Objectives:

1. 1. 1. Describe running related injury trends
      2. Outline the framework utilized to evaluate runners
      3. Compare and contrast the running analysis for biomechanics of sprinting vs running
      4. Identify common running related injuries
      5. Discuss treatment options for the outlined running related injuries
      6. Present data analytics on factors related to preventing running related injuries
      7. Utilize lab time to practice real-time recording, analysis, and prioritization of critiques to boost outcomes